AV Peripherals and Systems Guide

Philips Obsessed With Sound - New Products, New Fidelity

An Audiophile's Obsession

Celebrating their 60th anniversary in Singapore, Philips continued their Obsessed with Sound motif with the launch of a new line of speaker docks, home theater audio systems and portable media players just a few days ago at the Luxe Art Museum. With new additions to their product catalog, Philips aimed to continue providing high quality products designed to delight audiophiles in a variety of applications.

Eschewing the usual presentation and demo format for these kinds of events, Philips staged a tour of an average Singaporean household where family members were obsessed with audio. As we walked from one area to another, they showcased various products with each of them catering to different needs. The creative skit underlined Philips’ new aim to put a “Fidelio In Every Room”.

Docking Speakers

Prior experiences with the Fidelio series have been enjoyable and hence it was highly interesting to see if the next generation could meet the elevated standards set by the predecessors. The flagship model from the new range is an amalgamation of their Fidelio and SoundSphere series to give us the Fidelio SoundSphere DS9800W. Designed to be eye-catching and chic, it has smooth lacquer finish while its form is reminiscent of percussion instruments. Free floating tweeters and the uniquely sculpted cabinet ensure unidirectional sound and high quality audio. The DS9800W also boasts Apple’s AirPlay technology which helps it integrate perfectly with the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

For those who desire more portability and mobility from their docks, Philips has released the Fidelio DS7700 docking speakers. They have a robust aluminum finish and a cover case which lets the user stow them away for travel. The speakers have an AC power option along with batteries. Shielding technology also removes interference from telecommunication signals to and from your smartphone when it is docked. The DS7700 is also compatible with a whole host of Apple products including the iPhone and older iPods.

Expanding the new Fidelio lineup to cover all possible areas, Philips is also introducing the new DS1200. Its unique feature is the fact that it provides docking and charging for two iPods, two iPhones or two iPods simultaneously. It also has an in-built alarm clock. Neodymium drivers power the speakers to provide good balanced sound.

Amidst the introduction of new models, older products were not neglected. The classic Fiedelio DS9000 retains its natural wood casing and isolated acoustic chambers for pristine audio. Now the speaker dock was also made compatible with the iPad, increasing its utility.

Home Entertainment Systems

While the docking speakers are intended to provide portability and good sound, those looking for a more immersive and wide ranging experience probably have to look at a different category of equipment. As the event is called Obsessed with Sound, Philips also released a bevy of home entertainment audio systems to appease the die-hard enthusiasts.

The Philips Harmony Hi-Fi DCD8000 and the Philips Immersive Sound Home Theater HTS5561 are tasked with providing you lifelike, authentic sound to fill your living room and dazzle your senses - or at least that's what they claim. We'll likely be reviewing some of these products in the near future, but till then, we'll walk you through with some of their key features.

With its Harmony series, Philips is giving center stage to its ClariSound technology which is aimed at providing unbiased playback. Fitted with soft-dome tweeters at the top of the speaker cabinet's glass fiber woofer, the DCD8000 has the capability to render the entire spectrum of sound with fidelity.

If however you are looking for a home theater system that delivers a wide and all-encompassing soundscape, then the HTS5561 is your best bet. The immersive home theater system is equipped with angled speakers which Philips like to term as 3Directional Angled Speakers. It also boasts wireless rear speakers that would fill your surroundings with sound in your preferred placement. A 1000W RMS power rating also means that this system has the ability to deliver volume in large spaces.

Portable Media Players

Rounding up the launch event was a variety of new portable media players. The alpha product from the pack was the Philips GoGear Muse MP4 Video Player. Its 3.2-inch HVGA screen ensures videos look crisp and viewing is enjoyable. With regards to audio capabilities, features such as FullSound helps upscale your compressed audio formats, such as those stored in MP3, into fuller, richer tracks. SafeSound technology is also present and will provide a degree of relief to those who often blast their music at full volume.